Tomorrow (1st March) Union Unite is to ballot its British Airways members for a fourth time in two years on whether to take strike action.

Unite is starting this action over perceived anti-union activity, removal of staff travel concessions and member dismissals. It says that since 2010, 18 members of Unite have been sacked and 70 suspended.

Union general secretary Len McCluskey said in a letter to all BA members: “If BA’s management believes that it can secure industrial harmony by these methods it is living in a fools’ paradise. Only negotiation, not litigation or intimidation, can start to heal the wounds caused by this dispute.

“However, given the on-going failure of British Airways management to take its employment relations seriously and start negotiating, we have today given the company formal notice of this fresh ballot.

“We have made every effort in prolonged negotiations to resolve this dispute. Throughout we have been guided by our representatives. If we could achieve a settlement then peace would at long last be at hand.

“BA management needs to understand that it will never break the spirit of cabin crew, and that customer uncertainty and confusion will continue until it starts listening to its staff.”